Sierra County History
Illustrated History of PLUMAS, LASSEN & SIERRA Counties
with CALIFORNIA from 1513 to 1850, Farriss & Smith, 1882, San Francisco
Transcribed by Peggy Hooper, Oct 2009
This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm
These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format
for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or
organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial
purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor,
OR the legal representative of the submitter. All persons donating
to this site retain the rights to their own work.
FOREST CITY AND ALLEGHANY.
The thriving town of Forest City is very pleasantly situated at the junction of the
forks of Oregon creek, seven miles from Downieville, and four from the Mountain
House. Diggings were first struck at this place in the summer of 1852, by a company
of sailors, among whom were Bob Ritchie, Little Ned, and ___ Brown. The site of
the town was then covered with a growth of oaks so dense that the rays of the
noonday sun scarcely could find a spot of earth on which to shine. The pedestrian,
upon descending the side of the hill, suddenly entered a region of almost perpetual
twilight, a cool and shady retreat most welcome during the hot summer months.
The settlement rapidly grew to respectable proportions. Among the arrivals of that
year was that of Peter Vermoish, who is still a resident of the vicinity. The camp took
the name of Brownsville, from one of its locators, by which it was known until
the following spring, when, there being at least a thousand residents of the place,
it began to be called Elizaville, from the wife of W. S. Davis, now of San Francisco,
who had accompanied her husband thither. Mrs. Moody, who came in 1853,
originated the name of Forest City. The public was divided as to the proper title:
some favoring Elizaville, while others clung to the rather more appropriate title
which the exuberance of foliage prompted Mrs. Moody to adopt. Finally, in 1854,
a meeting was held, a vote taken, and the place formally christened with the
pretty appellation it has since borne.
Charles Heintzen removed from Downieville to this place September 1, 1853. At
the time there were several stores and two hotels. The Read house was kept by
T. A. Read, now in Bodie; the Merchants' hotel had a man by the name of Pratt
for its landlord. The diggings on the flat paid at the time about an ounce a day
clear to the man. There were a good many companies engaged in drift mining,
several of which took out great quantities of gold; the best paying among the
claims being that of the Live Yankee company. Near it were the Dutch company,
the Empire, and the Hawkeye. On the north fork of the creek were the Little
Rock company, the Rough and Ready, Can't Get Away, Don Jose, Manhattan,
American, and Washington. Among the numbers on the flat were the Great
Western, Free and Easy, and Girard companies. Like all the early mining camps,
Forest City was at first built principally of cloth tents, notwithstanding the
profusion of timber.
The first locations on Smith's flat were made in 1851, in a ravine at the outlet of
the Blue lead. The company consisted of Big Smith, Frank Powers, Thomas
Dunham, Elihu Mosgrove, and David Lewis; but in the fall of 1852 the ravine was
entirely worked out. The Keystone company started a tunnel in March, 1853, on
ground now owned and worked by the Buckeye company, and the Packard
company another in April, 1853. With the former company, Perry Bonham,
James Thompson, B. F. Cooper, A. McFarland, W. Jenkins, and W. Vincamp
were connected while the Packard company numbered among its members
_____ Packard, I. Foxworthy, B. Vangundy, and Captain Allers. The Jenny Lind
tunnel was next run by Bradish, Marvin, and others; and the Blue tunnel by
Smith, McCloskey, and others. Another tunnel location made at this time, 1852,
was the Hooking Bull company, with which Isaac, William, and Jacob Onstott,
Fred Galehouse, R. Chamberlain, and P. Baker were connected. Some time in
April, 1853, the Alleghany tunnel was begun, which gave its name to the
settlement that sprang up around it. The company consisted of Perry Bonham,
John Kochenour, Josiah Stair, John Stair, Horace Gilman, and S. S. Meaner. On the
south of the Alleghany were two locations known as the Bedrock and the
Magnolia, and on the north two known as the Pacific and the Knickerbocker.
Subsequent to this time, the Bay State, the New York, and the New York
Branch companies sprang into existence. The Alleghany tunnel first tapped the
pay streak in October, 1855; the balance followed in rapid succession, and a
flourishing town was laid out and built in the early spring of 1856. Perry Bonham,
alone of the original Alleghany locators, lives in the town to which it gave its name.
Forest City rapidly developed and prospered until 1856, when it decayed with
the same rapidity, owing to the failure of mining around it, and the formidable
rivalry of Alleghany, which drew the population away to the other side of the hill.
The first postmaster at Forest City was William Henry. His successor, T. D. Beckett,
who had the office from 1856 to 1860, proved a defaulter to the tune of $1,450,
and as his bond was worthless, Uncle Sam had to stand the loss. Dr. R. S. Weston
was appointed to the office upon the retirement of Beckett to private life, and has
per formed such official duties ever since. Dr. Weston's arrival in Forest City dates
from 1854, as stated elsewhere. A line of telegraph was built to the place in 1855,
and Tom Bowers, now superior judge of Marin county, became the first manipulator
of the wires. Dr. Weston took charge of the telegraph office in 1864, since which
time all messages requiring electric speed have passed through his hands.
The Sierra Democrat was started at Forest City in 1856, by John Platt and W. J.
Forbes, but a year after was removed to Downieville, where it continued to furnish
the public with news for a number of years. At midnight on the tenth of April, 1858,
a terrible blow was given the town in the shape of a sweeping conflagration, that
broke out in the residence of Mr. Lanen, near the bridge over the north fork of the
creek, at the lower end of town. The fire progressed slowly up the street against
a strong breeze, and was fully an hour and a half in reaching Loring's livery stable,
where it was stopped by pulling down a law office and a blacksmith-shop.
The aggregate loss reached $150,000, being distributed among no less than
sixty-five persons. In this fire the Read house, kept by Read & Harris, was
destroyed. Another large fire occurred in the year 1865, which caught in Miller's
store, and traveled through the town faster than a man could walk. It is said that
on this occasion it took only forty minutes for the flames to make a complete ruin
of everything they could reach. After the fire of 1865 the people became
discouraged, and rebuilt but little.
The first school in Forest City was taught by Mrs. Taff, in 1854, occupying a room
under the old Odd Fellows hall. She was succeeded in this work by John Gale, now
of Oroville, in the year 1855, and he continued to direct the youthful mind until
after 1860. Mr. Gale made vigorous efforts in 1860 to get a school-building erected,
the means being raised by dramatic entertainments given in Fashion hall. The size
of the first structure was 18x24 feet. The new school-building was built in 1874,
and cost $2,000, being a very pretty house and conveniently arranged. The teachers
are Mr. J. E. Berry and Miss Kate Downey.
The Methodists formed a society at Forest City in 1854. J. R. Tansey, the first
minister, led in the organization of the society and the building of the church, which
was first erected on the hill, and afterwards moved down to Main street.
Tansey's successors were J. B. Hill, R. R. Dunlap, S. B. Sheldon, J. H. Maddox,
John Dickinson, A. Shaw, C. Anderson, White, and S. H. Todd, the last stationed
here, after which the church became a part of the Downieville charge. An attempt
was made in 1854 to organize a Congregational church, but did not prove successful.
Prior to 1860 all the transportation of goods and commodities into this region
was done with pack-mules. Colonel Platt of the Sierra Turnpike company succeeded
in getting a road built from the Mountain House in 1860, aided by contributions
from the citizens. This road is invariably passable at all seasons of the year. A line
of tri-weekly stages is run by James M. Scott to the Mountain House. The Henness
pass road also runs through Forest City to San Juan. In 1872 the town began to
revive, in consequence of the heavy mining enterprise in progress under Bald
Mountain, and has steadily grown to be the most important mining center in
the county. The place is supplied with water from springs to the south-east,
owned by Thomas Ellis, who brings it into town with pipes laid along the
principal streets. The business of Forest City is conducted by the following persons:
A. H. Miller and P. Grant, dry goods, clothing, boots and shoes; C. Heintzen and
Derrickson & Nelson, groceries and hardware; Dr. R. Weston, drugs; W. A. Wayland,
notions, jewelry, and tobacco; Scullin & West, Forest house; A. Read, Bald
Mountain hotel; George Lawrence, Union hotel; George Miller and J. T.
Bradbury, butchers ; J. M. Scott, livery stable; John Phillips, blacksmith; J. H.
Downing, tailor; Mrs. Lowe, Forest City restaurant; Dr. Josiah Lefever,
practicing physician; D. Jewett, resident dentist.
At Alleghany a post-office was established in December, 1857, with Joseph
Evans postmaster; and the town flourished greatly during the succeeding years.
The Union quartz-mine was opened in 1862, and the first pay struck in the summer
of 1863, when four men in six days took out $11,600. A mill was built in December,
after which the first twelve days yielded $37,400, and the week following $9,000.
This mine has changed hands several times; in April, 1881, it was sold to a New
York company culled the Golden Gate Milling and Mining company. The Kenton
quartz-mine, now the Harlem, was also located in 1862. At Chip's, the American
mine was located in 1857. A mill was put up, but legal complications broke the
company, and the mine was sold to W. A. Hawley & Co., in 1865, but was
worked unsuccessfully. In April, 1879, Mr. Hawley organized a company who
brought machinery to the place, and ran it a year and a half without profit. Then
J. O. Groves, one of the company, asked leave to invest five hundred dollars more,
which was spent in prospecting, and the result was the discovery of the bonanza
which has since yielded $250,000 in ore, under the management of Mr. Groves.
The claim is patented. The business of Alleghany is carried on by the following
persons: S. S. Crafts & Son, general merchandise; J. T. Bradbury, dry goods, boots
and shoes, livery stable and butcher-shop; D. E. Thompson, Golden Anchor hotel;
W. N. Hooper, hotel; West & Clute, saloon. A Masonic lodge was chartered at Forest
City May 2, 1855, with John B. Bope worthy master. It was removed to Alleghany in
1868, where it has since existed in a flourishing condition. The lodge owns a very
fine hall. An Odd Fellows lodge, called the Mistletoe, was also moved here from
Forest City, in 1870, and possesses a commodious building, in which the meetings
are held.
FOKEST CITY LODGE No. 32, I. O. O. F., was chartered November 1, 1854, with
thirteen members. The first officer.* were Warren Heaton, N. G.; J. H. Hickox,
V. G.; C. J. Houghtaling, E. S.; Theodore Winters, P. S.; Adolph Levy, treas. The
new ball was dedicated October 7, 1876. The lodge officers at present are:
S. Blackmore, N. G.; C. D. Akers, V. G.; G. H. Shepherd, E. S.; Walter Lowery, treasurer.
The membership is sixty-four, and the value of lodge property $2,500.
BALD MOUNTAIN LODGE No. 44, K. OF P., was instituted July 28, 1877, with sixteen
charter members. The present officers are: S. A. Scullin, P. C.; J. 0. Jones, C. C.;
B. F. Derrickson, V. C.; R. W. Patrick, K. of R. & S. ; W. Bradbury, M. of E. ;
J. McNaughton, M. of F.; R. S. Weston, P.; R. P. Molt, M. A.; W. McHenry, I. G.;
J. Uren, O. G.
FOREST LODGE No 124, A. O. U. W., was organized August 25, 1879, with a
membership of nineteen. The membership now is fifty, and the officers are:
S. R. Stephenson, P. M. W.; P. Rader, M. W.; James O'Connor, F.; D. Finane, O.;
G. H. Shepherd, E. F. H. Campbell, financier.
A lodge of Good Templars was begun at Forest City May 23, 1867, with twelve
members, George Fields being the "first W. C. T. This lodge has had a steady
growth, until now the membership reaches one hundred and fifty. Dr. McCrimmon
is W. C. T.; Miss Katie Finane, W. V. T.; J. W. Haskins, W. S.; Josie Gregg, W. F. S.;
T. Rolands, W. T.; John Jenkins, W. M.